Michigan

GPS devices hot item for shoppers, thieves

ELIYAHU GURFINKEL, THE ANN ARBOR NEWSGary Simpson of Ann Arbor, left, listens to an explanation about portable GPS units from Assistant Manager Pete Blanshard at the RadioShack store on Maple Road in Ann Arbor. The devices are a popular gift item.

The gadget's convenience and high resale value on the street are attracting crooks, investigators said. A GPS can be stolen within seconds without much detection, even when car windows are smashed in mall parking lots or apartment complexes late at night.

BY ART AISNERThe Ann Arbor News

Portable global positioning systems are selling so well this holiday season that local retailers are having a hard time keeping them in stock.

Unfortunately, customers seem to be having just as much trouble keeping GPS units in their vehicles, thanks to opportunistic thieves.

Police agencies across Washtenaw County are reporting large numbers of auto break-ins where high-end electronics - especially dash-mounted GPS systems - are being targeted.

"We're just getting flooded with these reports and want to alert people that we believe a great deal of them could be prevented," said Ann Arbor Deputy Police Chief Greg O'Dell.

The department issued a neighborhood crime bulletin about the rash of thefts from vehicles in recent weeks, encouraging people to remove the navigators and other valuables from their cars or at least conceal them from view.

Pittsfield Township Police issued a similar alert and hosted neighborhood meetings after a rash of auto break-ins in November.

And in Ypsilanti, Police Chief Matt Harshberger said two GPS units were stolen from vehicles on Tuesday alone. A satellite radio system was also taken from a vehicle the same day.

No local departments keep statistics on auto break-ins where GPS units were taken, but police say they know the numbers are skyrocketing from previous years because - if for no other reason - they've become extremely popular in the past 18 months.

"That's just the easiest thing to steal now. Three years ago nobody had them," said Washtenaw County Sheriff's Cmdr. Dave Egeler.

Ben Pinette, a senior sales associate at the RadioShack at 205 N. Maple Rd. in Ann Arbor, said staff anticipated GPS systems would be hot sellers, but even they were surprised when shoppers bought the entire stock the day after Thanksgiving.

"We had an inkling, but we really didn't know until we ran out in just one day," he said. "They're definitely our biggest seller for the holidays."

Customers appear to be more focused on the seemingly limitless features offered by the technology - rather than security, he added. The systems can range from $150 to more than $700.

The gadget's convenience and high resale value on the street are attracting crooks, investigators said. A GPS can be stolen within seconds without much detection, even when car windows are smashed in mall parking lots or apartment complexes late at night.

Just leaving a power cord visible or keeping the system on as it glows at night sends signals to thieves, said Michigan State Police Sgt. George Warchock.

"If you leave it stuck on a window, even in a public place, you're at high risk," said Warchock, one of two investigators with the Washtenaw Area Auto Theft Team. "And even if any component is visible, you become an easy target."

Staff Reporter Susan Oppat contributed to this report. Art Aisner can be reached at aaisner@annarbornews.com or 734-994-6823.